6:10 但以理知道這禁令蓋了玉璽,就到自己家裡(他樓上的窗戶開向耶路撒冷),一日三次,雙膝跪在他上帝面前,禱告感謝,與素常一樣。
6:11 那些人就紛紛聚集,見但以理在他上帝面前祈禱懇求。
6:12 他們便進到王前,提王的禁令,說:「王啊,三十日內不拘何人,若在王以外,或向神或向人求甚麼,必被扔在獅子坑中。王不是在這禁令上蓋了玉璽麼?」王回答說:「實有這事,照瑪代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。」
6:13 他們對王說:「王啊,那被擄之猶大人中的但以理不理你,也不遵你蓋了玉璽的禁令,他竟一日三次祈禱。」
6:14 王聽見這話,就甚愁煩,一心要救但以理,籌劃解救他,直到日落的時候。
6:15 那些人就紛紛聚集來見王,說:「王啊,當知道瑪代人和波斯人有例,凡王所立的禁令和律例都不可更改。」
6:16 王下令,人就把但以理帶來,扔在獅子坑中。王對但以理說:「你所常事奉的上帝,他必救你。」
6:17 有人搬石頭放在坑口,王用自己的璽和大臣的印,封閉那坑,使懲辦但以理的事毫無更改。
6:18 王回宮,終夜禁食,無人拿樂器到他面前,並且睡不著覺。
When Daniel knew that the document had been
signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open
toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and
gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Then these men came by agreement and found
Daniel making petition and plea before his God.
Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction,
“O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any
god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den
of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the
law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Then they answered and said before the king,
“Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king,
or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set
his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue
him. Then these men came by agreement to
the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and
Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be
changed.” Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den
of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve
continually, deliver you!”
And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth
of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of
his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace and spent
the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.
***********
但以理知道波斯王發出的禁令,並沒有甚麼激烈的反應,反倒是跟平常一樣的禱告,這時,他大概已經有了最壞的準備。我們遭遇到不利自己信仰的處境,能夠不為所動的持續持守自己的信仰嗎?
但以理的政敵先用法律問題擠住波斯王,讓他不能更改禁令,等到波斯王承認禁令不能更改之後,再控告但以理,這樣波斯王就能不制裁但以理了。於弄到
波斯王心中十分難過,也展現出他的無能!
故此,人是軟弱的,不管地位和階級是如何,總是有無奈的情形!但是,但以理不被規條所綑綁,仍然努力愛主,把生死置之度外!這反而是剛強與自由!